In general, a plasticizer forms an ester through a reaction between an alcohol and a polycarboxylic acid such as phthalic acid or adipic acid. Also, there is continuing research on compositions of plasticizers that can replace phthalate-based plasticizers such as terephthalate-based, trimellitate-based, and other polymer-based plasticizers in consideration of domestic and international regulations on phthalate-based plasticizers harmful to human bodies.
In general, a plasticizer has been used as a material for various products including products in various fields such as electric wires, pipes, flooring materials, wallpaper, sheets, artificial leather, tarpaulin, tapes, and food packaging materials, which are prepared by processing methods such as extrusion molding, injection molding, calendaring, and the like, after a resin such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and various additives such as a filler, a stabilizer, a pigment, an anti-fogging agent, and the like are properly added to impart various processing properties.
With the current situation in the plasticizer market, the development of environmentally friendly plasticizers has been competitively conducted in this field due to environmental issues concerning the phthalate plasticizers. In recent years, novel products have been developed to improve inferior qualities, such as plasticizing efficiency, migration, etc., of di(2-ethylhexyl)terephthalate (DEHTP), which has been used as a common product among the environmentally friendly plasticizers.
Accordingly, there is an ongoing need for research on technology in which novel composition products such as products having properties superior to those of di(2-ethylhexyl)terephthalate are developed so that the composition products are optimally applicable as plasticizers for vinyl chloride-based resins.